


For the Greater Good

by Nary



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, Regret, Sins of Youth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:53:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had been young and he had been in love; for anyone else, that might have been sufficient to later excuse what happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For the Greater Good

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Malkontent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malkontent/gifts).



He had been young and he had been in love; for anyone else, that might have been sufficient to later excuse what happened. But Albus knew that he had also been ambitious, and arrogant, and full of resentment and frustration - those less noble qualities had also driven him, had led to his sister's death, and so many others in later years, and for that he could not forgive himself. 

It would have been simple to pretend that it was all Gellert's fault, but that would have been a lie. Their dreams had fed on one another, growing greater and more terrible with each golden summer afternoon they spent together. "For the greater good." He had been the first to say those words, not Gellert, and the glorious, half-mad light shone in his love's eyes as he repeated them after him, making Albus's heart thunder until he thought it would burst.

They would never have to hide in the new world they were going to build together - this seemed the most marvellous thing to Albus in those days. It was not until much later that he understood, truly understood, what it meant to have no fear - no fear of reprisal, no sense of shame, no concern for anyone but themselves. People - wizards and muggles alike - felt they had permission to commit the most horrific atrocities when they believed such things.


End file.
